Troops of the Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI, have reportedly neutralised 16 Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters in coordinated air and artillery strikes on three suspected terrorist locations in the Tunbunma area of southern Lake Chad.
The operation, conducted between 1 a.m. and 2 a.m. on October 26, 2026, followed intelligence reports indicating the presence of key terrorist leaders and fighters in the area.
In a statement issued in Maiduguri, the Acting Military Information Officer of Headquarters Joint Task Force (North East), Captain Mohammed Goni, said the operation involved the deployment of air and ground weapon systems against the identified locations.
According to the military, a battle damage assessment indicated that 16 ISWAP fighters were killed in the strikes.
Among those reportedly killed were Abu Zubiru, described as an Arab national, and two associates identified as Baana Nglewa and Jindullah Sadiq, alongside other fighters.
The military also reported that Abu Saleem, identified as the Wali of Tunbunma, sustained severe injuries alongside seven others during the operation.
Operation HADIN KAI said the strikes formed part of sustained offensive operations aimed at dismantling terrorist networks operating within the Lake Chad Basin.
The task force reiterated its commitment to intelligence-led counterterrorism operations to weaken armed groups and restore peace and normalcy across the North-East.
It also urged members of the public to provide timely and credible information to security agencies to support ongoing operations against terrorist elements in the region.
